Command Decision (Project Gliese 581g #1) Read Online Free PDF Page A

face. There was more to the story, but something told him it was personal. He could see the shadow of grief in her eyes when she explained the tragic accident that took the original crew members.
    Josh caught Ash’s glance that told him his friend felt it as well. Turning his head, he stared at the others in the room. He listened while different project managers shared reports, progress, and issues they were having. It wasn’t until the end of the briefing, after Julia and Lydia quietly congratulated all of them for their selection as members of the crew, that he felt a nagging suspicion there was still more information being withheld.
    “I look forward to the mission,” Josh responded with a sharp nod.
    Ash was silent for a moment before he sat back in his seat. “Eighteen months to departure, huh?” He replied with a grim smile. “We have a lot to learn.”
    “Yes, you both have a lot to learn in a short amount of time, but I promise you will also have the best team in the world behind you,” Julia said with a relieved expression.
    “Does anyone have any questions before we begin?” Lydia asked, stepping up to the front again.
    “I do,” Josh said with a twist of his lips.
    “What is it, Commander?” Lydia asked.
    Josh studied Julia’s face as he asked his question. “Where exactly are we going?” He asked.
     

Chapter 3
     
    Josh leaned against the outside wall of the training compound two days later. He drew in a deep breath and rolled his head on his shoulders to release the tension. He had just come back from his early morning run along the flightline.
    It was still dark out, but the hint of sunrise was beginning to lighten the horizon. His gaze caught on the movements of another runner. It only took a few seconds for him to recognize Julia. He waited as she jogged closer. He knew the moment that she realized that she was no longer alone.
    “Good morning,” he called out when she slowed to a walk.
    Julia glanced at him and placed her hands on her hips as she drew in deep, steady breaths through her nose to calm her respiration. She gave him a curt nod before she glanced at the fitness watch on her wrist.
    “Good morning,” she finally replied. “How are you settling in?”
    “Not bad,” Josh replied with a shrug. “I take it the small accommodations here at the compound are to prepare us for our living quarters in space.”
    Julia gave him a slight smile and walked in a tight circle as she continued to cool down. Josh watched her as she bowed her head. She appeared to be distracted. Whatever was bothering her, he still got the feeling that he and Ash weren’t being told everything and she was struggling with that. Julia had left shortly after the meeting that first day, so he had not been able to confront her about his suspicions.
    “There will actually be more room on the Gliese 581 than is normally allocated on a spaceship. Privacy was taken into consideration when the design was finalized due to the length of time we will be gone,” she finally said, drawing in a deep breath while standing with her back to him and looking out over the horizon. “I love this time of the morning, don’t you?”
    Josh heard the hint of wistfulness in her voice. “What’s really going on? I think Ash and I deserve to know the truth,” Josh demanded in a quiet tone. “What aren’t you telling us? I know you explained in the briefing that this was an exploratory mission to test intergalactic travel, but I can’t help but feel it is more than that. We aren’t heading to Mars as I originally expected, but into a section of the solar system that makes no sense to me from the information in the briefing that you gave us before the meeting. Why? I get the dangers, but I would have thought Mars would have been mankind's first attempt at long distance space travel.”
    Julia slowly turned to study him. He stared back at her, not breaking her intense gaze. He saw the flicker of uncertainty in her eyes before